


Shapeshifter

by goddess_of_time_and_magic



Category: Ghost Adventures (TV), LOVE DEATH + ROBOTS (Cartoon)
Genre: AU, Alpha/Beta, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Army, Army, Based On: Love Death + Robots, Based on a TV show, Beta!Alpha, Blood, Blood and Gore, Blood and Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, M/M, Mating, Mating Bites, Mating Bond, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Sexual Content, Werewolf Mates, Werewolves, Yaoi, alpha!Zak, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-29
Updated: 2020-08-29
Packaged: 2021-03-06 14:35:30
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,525
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26160496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/goddess_of_time_and_magic/pseuds/goddess_of_time_and_magic
Summary: BASED ON: Love, Death + Robots: ShapeshifterZak Bagans x Aaron GoodwinSUMMARY:Deep in the Afghanistan landscape, shapeshifters Captain Zachary Bagans and Private Aaron Goodwin form a bond, but Zak is a stubborn Alpha and Aaron is pushed to the edge about his new feelings. Yet, when all seems well, Aaron is sent on a mission and he doesn't return.
Relationships: Zak Bagans & Aaron Goodwin, Zak Bagans/Aaron Goodwin
Comments: 2
Kudos: 12





	Shapeshifter

**Author's Note:**

> This is my very first Zaaron Fanfic and I, honestly, wasn't sure how this would come out cause I'm not a diehard shipper nor am I as good as writing them as the Queen of Zaaron herself (MinaLaVoisin). But, I hope you Zaaron fans enjoy this! <3
> 
> And, if you have Netflix, i seriously would check out Love, Death + Robots. It's a beautiful analogy cartoon series, but definitely not something for kids (i.e. violence, blood, nudity, extreme sexual situations, rape, etc.). Great story telling and beautifully done CGI and cartoon work!

It was a different world for shapeshifters, now. Captain Zachary "Zak" Bagans likes to think there was another world out there where this landscape around him would be different. He dreams about it a lot. What would it be like? What would be the same? What would be different? Would it taste like sand between his teeth still?

"Yo! Bagans! Wake the fuck up!" the angry voice of their squadron leader rang out in his ear, and Zak resisted the urge to growl and bare his teeth, "Anything, bitch?"

He exhaled, controlling his own anger before responding, "Nothing, Sarg."

"Keep fucking moving, then, and get your head out of your ass!" the "sarg" snapped back at him.

Zak was really trying hard to not rip the human leader in half. He opened his eyes and took a step forward again on his bare feet, over the hot sand desert that would scorch any human's flesh. It never would affect him and his kind. He knows that is part of the reason why he and his partner are here. The U.S. Army used shapeshifters as their basic bitch.

"Want to tear his head off later? I'm getting a party together," the voice of Zak's said partner interrupted his thoughts through their ear piece.

A smile automatically appeared on Zak's face and he scoffed, knowing damn well that the party would only be the pair of them, "Yeah," Zak responded, "And, in fact, I might just join your party this time, Aaron."

"GET OUT! Really?" Aaron Goodwin, a private and one hell of a guy, mocked Zak in return, "Well, I should have made a cake too."

Zak rolled his eyes, "Like you know how to fucking cook! You can barely make beans for us without setting the whole damn base on fire."

Zak heard a whine sound and knew Aaron was pouting, "And here I thought you actually liked my beans."

"You know damn well your beans suck," Zak teased with a chuckle.

"You and my asshole say very similar things," Aaron replied and Zak made a sound of disgust.

"I never want to hear myself and your asshole in the same sentence in that context again," he gagged.

Aaron barked with laughter, "In what context do you like?"

The tone suddenly changed and Zak's chest rumbled, his instincts kicking in, refusing to reel around to grab his partner, dash off into a rocky den somewhere and…," You know exactly what context, Beta," and Zak fully enjoyed the soft whine that came from his ear piece. A smirk on his lips, "Careful, Beta. Wouldn't want the Sarg to hear you."

Aaron growled low, "Fuck the Sarg. I wanna-."

"Language!" Zak slightly scolded with a tsk, but it wasn't serious. Both of them knew and felt the same way.

They rarely ever called each other by their pack rankings, but damn did Zak like using that to his advantage against Aaron, especially after discovering the latter had a bit of a kink with it when tied with his voyeurisms. The way it would just flip a switch in Aaron, leaving the Beta like some Omega in heat, leaving Aaron thirsty for only one thing.

All this was between the pair was sex. A way to get off in the middle of the Afghanistan sand and heat. At least… that's what Zak kept telling himself that.

"Just you wait until--," Aaron growled again.

But Zak turned his ear piece off. He swore he could hear Aaron curse him even from the amount of space between the two of them.

⊱ ────── 🌛.⋅ 🐺 ⋅.🌜 ────── ⊰

They were back at base camp for the night, left alone by the rest of the squad in a separate compound created just for their kind. Zak knew that it was technically illegal to do as such, as the U.S. Army ruled that all were equal under their law, but no one trusted the shapeshifters. Thought they were all "weirdos" and "evil." Yet, Zak kind of appreciated the isolation, as he and Aaron could have space to themselves. None of the other soldiers would have understood the relationship he and Aaron had.

Dinner was settled in their stomachs and the sun had long set. The pair lay in their shared cot together. Aaron was curled into Zak, with his leg and arm thrown over the other's body. Zak stared up at the sky above them, twinkling with thousands of stars, and the moon was almost full.

"What are we going to do when we get out of the army, Alpha?" Aaron mused, fingers running over his chest.

Zak hummed, "We'll move into an apartment or house together some place far away from everyone and live life."

Aaron had asked it a million times and Zak answered it a thousand more. Yet, it was never the answer Aaron wanted. Zak knew that. Zak kept quiet.

⊱ ────── 🌛.⋅ 🐺 ⋅.🌜 ────── ⊰

The Sarg came into their compound around late morning. Zak was on the bench, lifting a few hundred pounds like it was nothing, while Aaron flipped through a PlayBoy magazine, trying to find the Omega blonde that Zak claimed he had dated for a short time back in the states.

"I told you, dude, Holly Madison would never want your dirty and pathetic Alpha ass…," Aaron trailed off from his comment when he saw the Sarg's face.

"I need one of you dogs to go on a trip to the village about 30 clicks from here," the Sarg snarled with a stone cold face, "We got word that the enemy is hold up there."

"I'll go," Aaron stood up.

Zak growled at him, baring his fangs, which were becoming longer with how close the full moon was. Soon he wouldn't be able to hide them. However, unlike what Aaron usually did when Zak growled, the Beta kept his ground.

The Sarg watched the pair humorously, "See you at 21:00 hours, Goodwin."

"Yes, sir," Aaron saluted him.

Alpha and Beta were silent till the Sarg left and then Zak wheeled on Aaron completely. He jumped up from his bench and slammed the Beta into the wall of their compound, the metal creaking under their inhuman strength. Both shapeshifters bared their fangs to each other, incredibly close to the other's face in a sudden spark of authority and dominance being tried.

"Fuck you," Aaron spat in Zak's face.

The Alpha snarled, eyes flashing dangerously, "You're not supposed to do that, Aaron."

The Beta pushed the other off of him and Zak let him, "And neither were you last night!"

⊱ ────── 🌛.⋅ 🐺 ⋅.🌜 ────── ⊰

Later that night, Aaron is gathering his supplies together in their room. Zak stands in the doorway, bare-chested with only his army issued pants on, and stares at the other. He watches the roll of muscle in Aaron's back as he lifts and shoves his things into his army bag. A feeling of sadness and regret settles over Zak. They had not had a fight like this in a long time and Zak doesn't want the two of them to leave with the heavy weight between them.

Slowly, Zak approaches the Beta and wraps his arms around him. Aaron snaps back, shoving his elbow into Zak's side, but the Alpha holds him against him, burying his face into the crevice of Aaron's neck and scenting him. The Beta is crying, now, and Zak didn't notice he was too until he was holding the Beta so tightly to him. Aaron gives a few more shoves to the Alpha before slouching over his bag, tears running down his cheek.

Zak sighs and holds him, pressing his body to his, and slowly begins to leave soft open-mouthed kisses to the back of the Beta's neck. Aaron's sobs rack his body and his hands clutch desperately at Zak's arms, fingernails scaping against his skin. All Zak could think was, _"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry,_ " but he doesn't say anything.

"Why?" Aaron sobs, shaking his body and Zak holds on tightly, continuing to kiss the Beta on his neck, trying to calm him down.

"Why, what?" Zak responds softly.

Aaron growls angerly and shoves Zak off of him, which the Alpha allows, spinning around to face the Alpha more head on. Zak notices that Aaron's eyes are deep red with anger and his fangs snarl at him. Aaron yells at him in pure pain, "Why do you have to be such a pig-headed Alpha! We could do this mission together, but no! I'm just a side fuck to you!" and he takes a step closer to the Alpha, "You don't fucking care about me, Zak! You never will! Well, fuck you! I'm done with your bullshit!"

Zak stays still, letting the Beta yell at him, letting each word rip his heart apart, _if only you knew…_

"I thought you were the one, Zak!" Aaron cries and hiccups, "I thought we could get out of this hell hole together! But, no! You want to hide away in a house after the war! What the fuck Zak! You knew! You knew how I felt! And you went and pulled this shit? Just let me do this mission by myself and I'll be out of your way. Be a good little Beta. Mind my own business. Fall out of love with you-."

The Alpha slams the Beta into the wall of their shared room and lips find each other blindly. Zak can taste Aaron's tears on his lips. Hands grasp at the Beta's head, holding him to Zak's mouth, tasting blindly. Their soft against each other at first, but then it gets rough fast.

Aaron claws at Zak's chest, leaving red stripes of his want across it. The Alpha slips his fingers under the Beta's shirt, clawing at bare skin, desperate to just feel the Beta against him. Soft noises like mewls escape Aaron's mouth and it makes Zak pull away. Soft blue eyes peer down at Aaron and Zak cradles his head again in his hands.

"Aaron," Zak coos and the Beta cries in response, "I'm here. I'm not leaving you ever. I-."

The Beta presses his lips to Zak's again, silencing him, but Aaron knew what he was trying to say.

The pair fell onto Zak's bed, ripping each other's clothes off, fangs bared, lips messy. They were rough at first, but Zak quickly pinned Aaron beneath him, straddling his naked waist. Despite how familiar the sight was, Zak felt like he was seeing Aaron for the first time.

"Mine," Zak growled and pressed his mouth to Aaron's neck.

The Beta purred and bucked his hips to grind into Zak's aching groin. They moved fast, preparing each other for what was to come. Then, when the time came, Zak was leaning on all-fours over Aaron, his hard cock in his hand, waiting to enter Aaron's wet hole. The Beta was needy and craving Zak so much. There was a feeling between the two that was new now and Zak didn't hold back.

Quickly, Zak slid into the Beta, snarling against Aaron's throat. It was a tight fit, as it always was at first, but damn did the way Aaron's hole fluttered around him was intoxicating. The Alpha's teeth were bared into the Beta's throat, threatening and dominating. Then, Zak began to thrust, spreading Aaron open with each thrust of his cock into the others hole.

Aaron moaned at the feeling, shifting his hips up to take more of the Alpha inside of him. A tongue danced across the Beta's pulse as the Alpha bottomed out inside of him. There was a moment of rest between the two of them. Heavy pants mixed with soft whines. Zak licks his lips and nuzzles into the side of Aaron's face before lifting his head to look down at him.

"I love you."

The Beta smiles up at him and arches up into the Alpha, kissing his lips, and mumbles, "I love you."

The two begin to dance, to thrust, to just simply feel the other. Their bodies rock back and forth on the cot and Aaron's needy moans crawl across Zak's skin, embedded there for as long as they live. Pleasure rides high between, snarling and heaving and grating. Hard flesh and ivory teeth pressed to each other in a dance.

Zak speeds up. His hips pistoning into Aaron's and their cot creeks with each thrust. Everyone in the compound probably can hear them, but Zak doesn't give a damn. He just thrusts and feels and basks in how he feels… how Aaron feels… how it's just the two of them and always will be.

The Alpha moves away from Aaron's lips and teeth latch onto the Beta's neck. And, when the moment came, Zak feels his cock swell inside the Beta, locking them together, and he bites down hard. Aaron wails and cries under him, spilling his seed across his stomach.

⊱ ────── 🌛.⋅ 🐺 ⋅.🌜 ────── ⊰

And, then, Aaron is gone. Zak wakes up with him gone. The cot is cold beside the Alpha and has been for the last few hours. But, something feels wrong… in a good way. A piece of him is missing and Zak knows it's simply the mating connection between the pair now. He stays in bed that morning, lazily waking up, nuzzling into the pillow covered in Aaron's scent, and a golden glow around him.

Nothing could touch either of them.

⊱ ────── 🌛.⋅ 🐺 ⋅.🌜 ────── ⊰

Zak was pacing the compound. It had been over 24 hours since Aaron had left him. He should have been back by now… _where the fuck are you, Beta?_ Zak growls to himself.

Every part of him is on edge, waiting for the Sarg to come into the compound and tell him of any news. Good or bad… Zak needed just something! At this point, Zak will take Sarg coming into the compound to rail him on anything just so Zak could feel something other than the anxiety crawling up his throat and sitting there.

He looks up at the entrance to the compound and stares at the space, contemplating… Aaron's still alive-- Zak knows that. The mating bond thumps like a heartbeat in his body. But, Aaron should have been back!

And, then, the mating bond snaps.

The Alpha falls to the floor, clutching his chest, frozen. A barren feeling lies where the mating bond once was and Zak claws at his chest, tearing his shirt from his skin. Blood seeps from the wounds as Zak scrapes at his skin like he is hoping to dig and receive the mating bond back.

A scream claws up Zak's throat.

Everyone in the compound can hear him, but Zak doesn't give a shit. He knows what he is feeling and it's ripping him to pieces.

The world falls silent around the Alpha. Even his screams make no sound in his ears.

His mating bond with Aaron is gone.

 _No… no… no… no…. No no no no no no no no no no no NO NO NO NO NO NO NONONONO!_ Zak is just screaming and screaming and he can't even hear himself.

Aaron is gone…

⊱ ────── 🌛.⋅ 🐺 ⋅.🌜 ────── ⊰

The early morning sun scorches the earth and a layer of sweat glistens on Zak's forehead. He had run so hard and so fast to get here. The mud building was half blown apart and a rug hung over the doorway, swaying softly in the breeze. Aaron's scent was strong here, but so was the smell of explosives. Pain seared through Zak's chest and he wiped a tear away from the corner of his eye before taking a step forward.

The rug was rough and caked with mud beneath his fingertips as he parted it. Blood was strong in the air and Zak recognized it quickly. Bile rose in his chest. Zak dashed back out into the desert landscape, falling to his knees, and dry heaved into the dry dirt beneath him. Tears prickled at the corner of his eyes and all Zak could see in the back of his head was Aaron's smile.

Taking a few moments, Zak caught his breath and settled the contracting muscles around his stomach. Then, he stood back up and turned back to the building. Did he really want to do this?

His feet answered for him by walking back to the hanging rug and pulling it back. He prepared himself for the heavy stench of shapeshifter blood. Swallowing the bile threatening to rise up his throat, Zak took a step into the building. Darkness flooded around him and crimson eyes flared as Zak peered around the interior. It honestly looked like someone tore apart all the furniture.

Carefully, he stepped over the broken wood and torn cloth and made it further into the building where the blood was the strongest. As he walked into the backroom, Zak shut his eyes to the site that welcomed him. Blood was covered all over the walls, and on a chair in the middle of the room was a body. Zak knew whose it was.

 _You need to see this, Zak,_ a voice echoed in the Alpha's mind and Zak opened his eyes.

The body was torn apart from the chest up, but Zak could tell it was Aaron. Cargo pants were blood splattered and tattered. Aaron's ribcage had been split in half and practically pulled out of his body like he was the unfortunate victim of the Viking's Blood Eagle. His face was completely mauled, but Zak knew it was him. Dangling from the Beta's closed fist, an aftermath of rigor mortis, was his dogtags.

Zak took a careful step forward, completely numb, and grabbed Aaron's closed hand. A hiccup escaped his lips and tears tickled the edges of his eyes. The dogtags were cool to his flesh and he pulled them from Aaron's tense hands. They jingled beside Zak.

"I'm so sorry, Aaron," Zak whispers.

 _Don't be_ , a voice answers him, but Zak knows it is simply his imagination.

"I wish I was here… I should have been here."

_If you were here, you would have died beside me--._

"That's what I want!" Zak cries, falling to his knees before Aaron's body.

_You have to go on, Zak._

"I love you," Zak hiccups.

_I'm always with you._

Zak brings the dogtags up to his lips and kisses them.

⊱ ────── 🌛.⋅ 🐺 ⋅.🌜 ────── ⊰

One more rock joined the pile on the hill and Zak's fingers lingered on it for a few more seconds. The only thing that signaled the pile of rocks as a grave was a wavy wooden cross, of which Zak dangled Aaron's dogtags upon. Aaron's was not religious and neither was Zak, but Zak had to do something. This was a grave… Aaron's grave.

Zak lowers his head to the grave, sorrow and pain thumped through his heart. All Zak wanted was for the past 24 hours to just disappear. He wanted their night together again with Aaron's smile and Aaron's laughter and Aaron's moans and Aaron's whines and just Aaron completely surrounding him. _Fuck!_ He would even take Aaron's shitty jokes and shitty beans right now.

This was war… Zak knew that… he knew that there was always the chance of this happening. He just never thought it would actually happen and, least of all, to Aaron. Zak was the stubborn and strong-headed one… he should have died first.

"I'm so sorry," Zak sniffled and then stood up.

His hands grabbed the thin army green shirt he was wearing and, in one stroke, he ripped the fabric from his body. Fingers went to his belt and his pants and he quickly undone them, letting all his army clothes on his lower body fall to the dirt. The hot desert sun stroked his naked skin and his flesh prickled, but more so with the fact that Zak's body knew what was going to happen.

Reaching down, Zak grabbed the dogtags from off of the grave and placed them around his neck. They clinked against his own tags. The metal was still cool and Zak could smell Aaron's scent on them. It comforted him for a few minutes.

Zak stared down at Aaron's grave… waiting… and mourning one last time. Then, he spun on the ball of his foot and ran off across the desert landscape.

The Alpha in Zak crawled up his throat and his body contorted mid-run. As he fell to the ground, paws instead of hands caught his weight and he snarled at the pain. His body rippled as it grew used to his new and bulky form again.

Tossing his head up to the sky, the Alpha shapeshifter let loose a howl.

It echoed and ached within Zak's body and it was a painful howl of loss. All who heard it could feel the pain that the sound held.

And, when Zak's Sarg would walk into their compound that afternoon and discover Zak gone, Sarg knew what had happened. Zak would be classified as Missing in Action and Aaron was another unfortunate soul to return home with an empty casket and an American flag draped across it, but Sarg knew…

An Alpha without his Beta has nothing left but his own demons and the silence of high desert winds.

**Author's Note:**

> GIF SET AESTHETIC -- https://ghxstadvxntxres.tumblr.com/post/627799525683281920/zaaron-au-werewolf-deep-in-the-afghanistan


End file.
